Spike in leptospirosis cases in Ernakulam worries health authorities

210 suspected cases reported in district since April this year

The spike in cases of leptospirosis in the district this year, which is higher than the instances recorded in the past two years, has left health authorities baffled.

From April onwards, the number of cases of leptospirosis have been rising consistently with 210 suspected cases till Friday. There have been eight deaths this year, seven of which were suspected and one was confirmed. For the same period, 114 suspected cases were recorded in 2019 and 133 cases in 2018.

Usually, leptospirosis is restricted to certain high-risk persons such as MGNREGA workers or pineapple farmers who work in fields, said Vinod Paulose, district surveillance officer for non-COVID diseases. But this year, a 19-year-old who had played football on a marshy field for a week had contracted leptospirosis, possibly due to contact with cattle urine on the field. Two people who had gone fishing during the lockdown had also developed the disease. Though no analysis had been done, it could be due to environmental factors such as pollution or increasingly poor waste management, he said.

Diagnosis had been complicated by the COVID-19 scenario, since patients were hesitant to visit a hospital, said Dr. Paulose. Doctors have been sensitised by the Health Department to consider a history of contact with polluted water and prescribe doxycycline. Symptoms of leptospirosis include fever with body pain, particularly of the calf muscles, and redness of the eyes.

Dengue cases decline

Meanwhile, dengue has been on a declining trend in the district so far, with about 91 cases in September, after a surge in June that saw about 972 cases. But the rains this month remain a cause for worry for health officials.

In early diagnosis and distinguishing between diseases that could have overlapping symptoms, taking patient history was crucial, said Dr. Paulose. Fever, accompanied by sore throat, loss of smell or abdominal problems, would call for a COVID test, depending on the person’s travel history or chances of contact with a patient, he said. With dengue, fever would persist for three days and could be accompanied by rashes, a fall in blood pressure or bleeding.